Sokka's Battle
by Billy Killman
Summary: Sokka struggles to live up to the role given by birth and the expectations of a father. Now Sokka must find away to rise up and help the Avatar restore balance to the world and end the war against the Fire Nation. A twist on the original series where Sokka is more than just the sarcastic, meat-eating, comic relief character.
1. Prologue

AN: I recently read a genderbent Sokka story and it inspired me to write one of my own.

This story will be a bit more serious version of Sokka for a number of reasons. Firstly, I think that being raised in the harsh climate of the arctic and dealing with a war and losing both a parent like they did would cause a more serious attitude. Secondly, I'm not the greatest at writing humor and thirdly I think Sokka is an undervalued character and I think it is a shame they made him the comic relief when they build in so much potential with his intelligence and tactical mind.

I hope you enjoy this. Please read and review. Your thoughts and opinions are welcome and valued.

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First Born (Prologue)

Being the first born to the chief of your tribe is never easy. Being a girl as the first-born to a chief who desperately wanted his first-born to be a boy is even more difficult. That is where I find myself, Sokka, daughter of Chief Hakoda and Kya. I'm the daughter who was supposed to be born a son. In fact my dad wanted me to be a boy so much that he refused to change my name to a girl's name. I guess he hoped that if he left my name Sokka, I would magically grow dangly bits between my legs and become the son I was supposed to be. I'm not the warrior he wanted me to be either. I can't fight with a club or a machete, they are too big and awkward for me. The only saving grace in a life of disappointment for my father is that I can hunt. The day he gave up on trying to train me as a warrior and sent me to train with the hunters is the day I became less of a failure to my father and more of just a disappointment.

o0o0o0o0o0o0o

I remember the events that changed my path from failed warrior to hunter...

"Sokka for the last time you're not going to break it. Hit it like you mean it." My dad growled at me.

"I'm trying dad." I whined while swinging the club I could barely pick up.

"Well try harder." He said, frustration evident in his voice.

I gritted my teeth and hefted the club on my shoulders for another round of futile swings. My eight year old muscles strained with effort as I hit the wooden 'enemy' with the club. The vibrations from the impact stung my hands and rattled my teeth.

"Again, harder this time." I heard my dad shout as I swung the club with all my might again and again.

"Why do I have to use this stupid club anyways?" I grumbled under my breath.

"What did you say?" My father shouted at me.

"Nothing." I ground out, looking away.

I could see the frustration growing on my dad's face as I lugged the heavy club onto my shoulder for another swing at the stupid training dummy when out of nowhere the soft voice of my savior came out.

"Hakodo, why don't you give the girl a break? You two have been at it since sunrise. The poor girl hasn't even eaten breakfast yet." My mother, Kya, spoke gently.

I didn't even wait for my father's reply before I dropped the club and ran to my mom. "Thank you, thank you, thank you." I yelled into my mother as I buried my face in her parka.

"Go join your sister for breakfast." She said with a giggle. My mood instantly dropped about having to eat breakfast with Katara, but I ran out of the training pit with a smile on my face; only to stop outside the wall to listen in on my parents' conversation.

"Kya, why do you coddle the girl she needs to get tougher."

"I suppose making sure she gets fed along her sister and father is coddling her?" My mom replied, rolling her eyes.

"Fair enough." My dad said as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

"Why do you push her so hard? She's not a warrior like you are my husband."

"I suppose you're right. But what am I supposed to do with her? If she were born a boy this would be so much easier." He said with a sigh.

I didn't hear the rest of the conversation as I ran into our home with a pain in my chest and my eyes stung with unshed tears. I didn't hear the words my mom spoke that altered the course of my life. I never heard my mom convince my dad to let me become the hunter obviously more natural to me, even at that age.

"Sokka where's mommy? Wait are you crying?" My six-year-old sister asked me with genuine concern.

"No!" "Leave me alone Katara." I snapped at her unfairly.

My ever emotional sister started crying after I yelled at her. If it wasn't bad enough that I was hurt and upset because my dad hated me, now I felt guilty for making Katara cry. As an eight year old girl instead of apologizing like I should have I got mad at her for making me feel guilty when all I wanted to do was scream and cry. "Sokka quit being mean to your sister." Gran-gran chastised from across the tent.

"Yes, Gran-gran." I moaned. It's best not to go against Gran-gran; spankings from her wooden spoon hurt the worst.

Mom and dad walked in and the look of disappointment in my dad's eyes as we made contact crushed my little eight year old heart. I was only a little girl but I was old enough that the look in his eyes told me I was a complete and total failure. A few seconds more of that stare was all I could take. I tore my eyes from his and looked down at my boots instead. I had never felt so worthless before.

Mom ushered me into my chair and set a plate of fish and wild berries down in front of me. I tried to pretend nothing was wrong but I couldn't even eat. I just pushed my food around until my mom noticed.

"Sokka, aren't you going to eat your food."

"I'm not hungry mom."

"Are you sick honey?" She replied as she got up and felt my head.

"No mom I'm just not hungry." I replied.

"You must be sick if you're not hungry." Mom said as she dragged me to my bed roll and covered me in furs. I was glad she thought I was sick. I wanted to sulk by myself. When I was finally alone I allowed the tears stinging my eyes to fall.

I was sitting with my back against the wall and my knees drawn against my chest when mom walked in. I didn't even look up at her when she knelt next to me to feel my forehead.

"Mom, why does dad hate me?" I said after a long silence.

Your father doesn't hate you dear." She replied.

"Then why does he look at me like he does and why does he say he wishes I were a boy?" I said with fresh tears running down my face.

She didn't reply she just sat next to me and pulled me onto her lap and held me to her chest as I cried my eyes out. Her gentle rocking and her hands running through my hair calmed me down and I eventually fell asleep in her arms. I never knew if her silence confirmed what I said was true or if it is what mothers do to comfort their children when words won't work.

The next day I was woken up by my mom instead of my dad as usual. I got dressed, while still in a daze and dragged myself to the breakfast table. I must have had a sufficiently confused look on my face because mom felt the need to explain things to me.

"Your father went with some of the other men. He should be back in a few days." She patted me on my head. "Your father decided that it would be best if you start learning how to be a hunter. After breakfast we will go visit Torro to discuss your training."

"Does that mean daddy doesn't want me to be a warrior anymore? Does he think I'm not good enough?" I asked sadly.

"Of course not honey, he just wants you to be well rounded." She said gently. No matter my mood she always found a way to make me feel better. "Now hurry up and eat, we don't want you to be late."

After breakfast mom walked me to Torro's tent. Torro was the man who formally trained the hunters of the tribe. When we arrived he was in the middle teaching his eldest, Karra, how to make a bow out of whale bones.

"Ah, Kya, Sokka you got here just in time. I was just showing Karra, here how to craft weapons from whale bones." Torro said in greeting.

"Thank you Torro, for taking Sokka in so late in the hunting season." My mom responded.

"It's nothing. Besides Karra just turned twelve, she's now old enough to be a mentor to a young hunter."

I think being paired to Karra was the best thing to happen to me in my young life. I already looked up to her. She was one of the few women in my tribe that was a first born daughter who was forced to take on the provider role and she seemed to take to her role with joy. She was a very kind and patient teacher for me and with her and her father's help I swiftly developed my hunting skills.

o0o0o0o0o0o

The next four years I improved greatly on my hunting skills and I formed an unbreakable bond with Karra. She was my best friend and we spent most of every day together as we continued to hone our hunting skills. My relationship with my father was the opposite. We drifted over those years. Though he showed some pride that I was a natural hunter he still was somewhat disappointed that I was a horrible warrior. He continued to work with me, but with me learning to be a hunter and with increased Fire Nation activity in the area my father's role as chief and lead warrior took up most of his time. A few weeks after my tenth birthday we learned why the Fire Nation had increased their activity in the South Pole. I remember that frightful day as vivid as it happened...

I just returned from hunting a leopard seal by myself. I wanted to be the one who provided the feast for Karra's wedding celebration. She had married Bato's son, Uteq, earlier that morning. I had just returned the sled dogs to their kennel when the snow that started to fall was mixed with soot. As the ashy snow started to fall our tribe became a chaos of movement. I was too young to remember the last Fire Nation raid but I was taught to recognize the soot in the snow to know we were about to be attacked. With my kill forgotten I rushed home. I burst in to see my frantic mom.

"Oh Sokka, thank the spirits your safe!" My mom shouted as she rushed to wrap me in her arms.

"We just got back when the soot started to fall."

"Have you seen your sister? She was supposed to be in her sewing lesson, but she wasn't there, nobody was there -" She cut herself off with a sob.

"Mom, I'll go look for Katara. I'm sure Hanna took the children someplace safe." I said to try and ease her worries.

When I exited the igloo the whole village was utter chaos. The Fire Nation ships had landed. I could hear shouts and clanging of weapons, the battle was on and I needed to find Katara and fast.

I saw my dad and Katara at the same time. She was rushing towards dad who was in the middle of fighting off three men.

"Katara!" I shouted to get her attention. "Katara, come here!"

My dad finished off the last man as I shouted for Katara. He heard my shouting and rushed toward us.

"Katara, go find your mother." He said to her.

"Mom's at home Katara, run as fast as you can." I told her.

"Sokka, go grab as many spears from the war tent as you can carry and bring them to the men." He said as soon as Katara was running home.

I nodded to him and ran to the tent and grabbed a dozen whale bone spears and hurried back to the battle. I arrived and began distributing the spears as fast as I could. I handed out that last spear when I heard Katara's voice.

"Daddy, Daddy, there's a bad man in our house!"

My blood ran cold the instant I heard those words.

"Daddy, mommy said to come find you."

I looked over at my father and saw fear in his eyes for the first time in my life. He met my eye for a brief moment before we both took off towards our house. As I ran I heard triumphant shouts in the back ground. It wasn't until later that I found out those shouts were from our men as the Fire Nation soldiers retreated back to their ships.

I reached our house after my father. The sight I saw when I entered the house was one of the most painful I have ever seen. My father was on his knees next to mom. He had pulled her head onto his lap and his shoulders shook with sobs. There was a pool of blood where my mother laid. I had killed enough animals to know that much blood meant she was dead. It felt as if my heart stopped in my chest and I couldn't breathe when I realized my mom was dead.

I forced myself to take a gasp of air and the noise forced my dad to snap his head towards me. He had tears in his hard eyes, but when he made eye contact with mine they softened.

"Don't let your sister see this. Go take her to Gran-gran." He said in a soft voice. I turned to exit our house. Before I took a step I heard his voice. "And don't let her see your tears." I nodded, dried my tears, and went to get Katara.

That evening was not the celebration it was supposed to be; instead it was nothing but sadness and mourning. We lost fifteen of our family that day; twelve men and three women. Among the dead was my mother Kya, and Karra's betrothed Uteq. Our tribe was forever changed that day. A few weeks after we sent our dead to the ocean spirit, all the men left to join the Earth Kingdom. We had no boys over six years old left and Karra and I were the only true hunters left in the village. The next few years were some of the hardest years our tribe ever faced.


	2. Chapter 1

The title of this story is a working title suggestions welcome. Read and review enjoy!

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Chapter 1

_Four years later..._

I sat stock still in the blind I dug. Karra and I had tracked a herd of caribou for the last three days. We were careful to dig our blinds downwind of where they would cross our path.

A large bull stopped to dig in the shallow snow for some roots. He stood twenty yards from me and gave me a clear shot at his broad flank. I slowly shifted onto my knees careful not to make any noise. I nocked a whalebone tipped arrow and slowly drew back the string. I took a deep breath in and narrowed my focus on my target. I exhaled slowly zeroing in on my target. At the bottom of my breath I loosed my arrow and sent it sailing at the animal. The arrow sunk deep into the caribou's shoulder and pierced the heart. The large animal tried to bolt, but he fell before he could take a step. He was dead before he hit the snow. Beside me I heard the twang of a bow. I looked out towards the tundra and saw another felled buck.

"Nice shooting kid." Karra said peeking out of her blind.

"Who you calling kid?" I asked her as I pulled the hide strip down off of my nose and mouth.

"Let's hurry up with our kills before we attract the wolves." Karra said as she made her way to the caribou.

We hurried and bled the deer out and cleaned the animals for packing out. As is custom we cut the heart out and sliced it in half to let the spirit free. We offered up our thanks to Tui and La for the kill and we each ate a piece of raw heart. Once we completed our ritual we packed up our kill and headed to our camp where the dogs were.

"Katara's breasts are already bigger than mine." I said suddenly.

"What?!" Karra said stunned by my sudden statement.

"Katara already fills out her bindings. I barely even need mine."

"What does that have to do with...oh no, we're not doing this again Sokka. You can't keep comparing yourself to your sister." Karra exasperated.

"She's beautiful and talented and loved and perfect." I said downcast.

"Why do you keep doing this to yourself Sokka?"

"I don't know. I always hear the other women in the village tell Katara how beautiful she is and how she'll make such a good wife one day."

"Sokka, you don't even want to be a wife, you've told me a hundred times. What is it you say 'I was made to hunt not to make babies.'?" After a few seconds of silence she continued. "Is this because you turn sixteen in a few days?"

"Well, you're always going to be a hunter and you got married." I regretted those words as soon as I said them. I saw the pain in her eyes and she reached up to touch her betrothal necklace.

"I'm sorry Karra. I shouldn't have brought up those bad memories." I said as I put a comforting arm around her shoulders.

"It's okay Sokka, I know you didn't mean to." She said softly and gave me a smile.

"Come on, we need to hurry up to camp."

Karra and I sat around the fire of our camp that evening and shared stories about our lost loved ones.

"I was so happy that morning. I felt like a woman for the first time in my life. I think that was the first time I ever wore a dress." Karra told me.

"You were so beautiful. The whole ceremony your face was beaming with a brilliant smile." I said as I looked her in the eye.

"I miss that smile of yours. You used to have that smile all the time, now I hardly ever see it." I said sadly.

"Me too, it's just after all the men left things have been so hard. We've been so busy trying to provide for the village that there doesn't seem to be time to laugh and joke."

"I don't know. I seem to manage alright. I even get other people to laugh."

"Usually they're laughing at you, not with you." Korra said with a rare smirk.

"Hey, that's not true! I'm just a funny person." I mock pout knowing full well she's right.

"Need I remind you of the time when you got two hooks stuck in your thumb." I looked down at the round scar on my right thumb.

"The first hook wasn't my fault I'll have you know. Morina's son wasn't looking where he was casting and he hooked my thumb." I defended.

"Well, how'd the other one get in there?" She questioned knowingly.

"Okay, you're right. My life full of misfortunes has been a constant source of laughter for the village." I sighed in defeat.

"Oh come on Sokka, it's not that bad. Your care free spirit has kept the tribe from giving up hope." Karra said trying to cheer me up.

"I think it is Katara's optimism and presence that gives the tribe hope. I swear the way the village flaunts over her you'd think sunshine shines out her butt."

"Really, with this again? Come on Sokka, quit comparing yourself to her already." Karra huffed.

"I know how the tribe looks at me. I'm the chief's ugly, failure of a daughter and Katara's the perfect beautiful daughter. She's even a waterbender for spirits sake." I shouted.

"That's not true; the village doesn't think that of you." She said in a soft voice.

"Yes they do. How can they not? My own father believes that way. I've heard him myself multiple times. I overheard him tell Bato I was a worthless warrior. He even told my mom he wished I was born a boy." I said barely above a whisper.

Karra scooted in front of me and put her hands on either side of my face making me look at her in the eyes. "Listen to me Sokka, you are not a failure. You're one of the best hunters I've ever seen. You are a better shot with a bow than any of the men ever were. And, I think you are beautiful. You have the best eyes in the whole tribe. You're way more fun to be around than your sister ever will be."

"Thanks Karra, you're the best." I said into her shoulder as she wrapped me in a hug.

After my little emotional display of self doubt was over we ate a small meal of seal jerky and sea prune soup and went to sleep. We needed an early start if we wanted to get back to the tribe by early evening the next day.

I woke up to something nudging me in the back. I was too groggy to really think or care what it was. I just wanted to go back to sleep. I never felt like I got enough sleep anymore. It could have something to do with the nightmares I had almost every night. The battle that took my mom haunted me. It was the first time I saw a man die by another man, but what haunted my dreams the most was seeing my mom dead in a pool of her own blood. Every time I felt guilty, like I should have done more to protect my mom, to protect my tribe. It was just another reminder of my failures.

"Sokka, get your sleepy butt up. We need to get going." I heard Karra say and felt a few more nudges in my back.

"Ugh, okay I'm getting up." I groan as I began to get out of my sleeping roll. I always hated that part. Leaving the warmth of my furs and meeting the freezing tundra in just my tunic and pants.

"Hurry up Sokka, we're running behind already." She said as lazily I put on my parka, fur breeches, and boots.

"All right, jeez don't get your bindings in a bunch." I teased.

She returned the jest by pushing me when I was on one foot putting on a boot. I fell into the soft snow next to my lead sled dog Mikka. She immediately began licking my face, showing me her 'affection'.

"Ack! Mikka no! Mikka!" I tried to say through my peals of laughter and pushing to get my dog to stop licking my face. Thankfully Karra took pity on me and got Mikka off of me.

I sat up and slipped and gave Karra a mock glare. The smile on my face ruined any effect my glare could have had. She just chuckled at me and offered her hand once I put on my other boot. I took her hand and let her help me up to my feet.

"Well now that you're finally ready we can go. I already have the sleds packed up."

I knelt down in front of Mikka and scratched behind her ears. Mikka was born right after my mom died and my focus on training her helped me deal with the losing my mom. I took notice of her because she had bright ice-blue eyes that reminded me of her. Katara looks more like mom than I do, but I got mom's eyes and maybe that is why Mikka is so special to me.

"Mikka, you ready to go home, huh girl?" I cooed. Her answer was her licking me from chin to forehead in one lap. Behind me I heard Karra laughing. I turned to look at her and I saw her shaking her head and laughing.

"The amount of affection you give that dog is just plain gross."

"She's a very good dog."

"She's a spoiled dog is what she is. She eats more seal jerky than I do and she's the only dog that you let give you kisses…..Which is gross by the way." Karra retorted. Everything she said was true, but there was no way I was admitting to that so I just shrugged my in indifference.

I got on the sled and eased off the brake and yelled out a sharp "Hike!" The dogs pulled on their harnesses and the sled lurched forward. Bear and Koto, my wheel dogs dug in hard to get the sled moving. With the added weight of our cargo I pushed the sled from behind to help out my team in the deep snow. After a few seconds of pushing the sled started picking up speed and I had to run to keep up with the sled.

"The trail got covered by the snow storm yesterday." Karra yelled from her sled.

"Mikka will find it. She's good at that kind of stuff." I yelled back.

After a couple of slow hours Mikka did find the trail and we picked up speed. We set a swift pace to make up for some of our lost time from this morning. We were making good time and it appeared like we were going to make it before dinner when I heard the distinctive howl of wolves. "Oh shit." I said under my breath. They must have caught the scent of our caribou. I turned to look at Karra to make sure she heard what I heard. I met her eyes and confirmed she had. She pointed to the left indicating she wanted us to climb the hill we were traveling parallel to, to get the high ground.

"Haw!" I shouted to Mikka who instantly steered the sled to the left to climb the hill. Once we climbed the hill I turned to Karra again. She was the more experienced one and I trusted her with my life. She saw the look in my eyes that screamed 'what do we do' and she gave the signal to rally.

"Whoa." I commanded to Mikka and started to apply the brake.

"Circle up! It is easier to defend that way."

After we circled the sleds I locked down my sled and pulled out my bow, quiver and my machete as fast as I could. My heart was pounding in my chest as I saw a pack of twelve wolves bound up the hill.

"Unhook Bear; he's big enough to take on one or two."

I obeyed without objection and hastily unhooked the massive husky and brought him by my side just outside my sled. Bear growled viciously at the wolves as they began to creep towards us. I quickly nocked an arrow and waited for the impending attack.

"Bear! Stay!" I snapped to keep him in place. "What are we doing? The dogs are getting antsy."

"Hold your ground and try and keep Bear from getting isolated. And don't miss with your arrows, you won't get many opportunities." She spoke sharply but calmly.

"O-okay" I stuttered as my heart hammered in my chest.

"Hey calm down. Take a deep breath. If you stay calm we'll get through this just fine."

I took a deep breath to calm my nerves. It would be a death sentence to fall apart now. One of the wolves broke away from the others and started skirting around to my left. I drew the string back and took aim at the skirting wolf knowing that if it snuck out of attention it would mean big trouble. I released a breath and loosed the arrow. The arrow went sailing in an arch and sank into the wolf's hind leg. The wolf tumbled to the ground and let out a shriek in pain. I took no time to nock a new arrow and turn my attention back to the pack. The eleven remaining wolves scattered in all directions causing chaos. The dogs began to panic. I had to shout over the chaos to get the dogs to calm down and before they played right into the wolves. One wolf darted in towards the circle.

"Get 'em boy!" I shouted to Bear.

Bear charged after the lunging wolf. I drew my bow back to take out any wolf attempting to join the fray against Bear. I heard commotion behind me as some of the wolves had circled around to Karra's side. Bear reached the wolf and took it down by the neck. The massive wheeler over powered the smaller wolf and had it on the ground by its neck. Another wolf charged in to help against Bear. I took aim and let my arrow fly and stopped the charging wolf in its tracks as the arrow buried in its chest.

"Sokka!"

I whipped around at Karra's scream. There were five wolves closing in on her and she had already lost her bow. I responded instantly by readying an arrow and firing it at the nearest wolf to her. My arrow grazed the side of the wolf's head leaving a superficial wound, but it was enough to distract the wolves. I quickly reloaded my bow and fired again. This time I hit the mark and hit the wolf in the neck dropping it instantly. I shot another arrow and hit another wolf in the front leg causing that wolf to scamper away. I fired off another arrow that landed in the rib cage of another wolf. I nocked an arrow and took aim at the fourth wolf, but before I could draw the string back I caught something out of the corner of my eye. I turned my head just in time to see a large wolf in mid leap. Before I had a chance to react the wolf slammed into me and sent me sprawling to the ground, losing my bow in the process. I rolled from my back to my hands and knees quickly and made for my bow. Before I could reach my bow the wolf latched onto my forearm in his powerful jaws. I screamed out in pain as his teeth sunk into my flesh. The wolf then began to yank and shake his head violently. I cried out again as the pain surged up my arm. I had to react quickly or it would be all over for me. So I pulled out the knife I carried on my hip and I buried it hilt deep into the wolf's neck. The wolf didn't let go so I pulled the knife out and stabbed again and again and again until he fell lifeless with my arm still in his mouth.

"Oh spirits Sokka!" Karra screamed and rushed to my side.

Karra pried the dead wolf's mouth open enough for me to pull my arm out. I began to look around at the carnage. My mind was in a fog and everything seemed to be moving in slow motion. I knew Karra was yelling something at me but it came out muffled in my ears and I couldn't make out what she was saying. I saw that the rest of the pack was retreating back down the slope.

A sharp stinging slap across my face woke me out of my daze and I heard Karra yell; "Stay with me." My eyes began to focus and I looked up at her for the first time since she rushed to my side. Our eyes met and I could see the panic in her eyes.

"Is it over." I managed to finally say.

"Yes it's over, but we need to hurry and get you back to the village."

I nodded to her and let her help me to my feet. I looked around and finally got a clear view of the aftermath. I saw the bodies of nine wolves; seven of them were dead and two were wounded.

"We need to put them out of their misery." I said pointing to one of the wolves that was still alive.

"You stay here and let me take care of them." Karra responded.

Karra make quick work of the wounded wolves and immediately returned and bandaged my arm. I went around and retrieved as many arrows as I could while Karra packed a few of the dead wolves onto the sleds. We try to take everything we kill but in this instance we only had enough room to carry a couple of wolves per sled. I made sure that she packed the one that attacked me as it was the biggest and I would enjoy making something out of his pelt. There's a certain satisfaction relishing in my victory over near death from that wolf.

Bear made it out of his fight relatively unscathed; he only had superficial wounds. I gave Bear a well deserved treat before I hooked him back in his spot at the wheel position.

Karra led the way back to the village. She set a blistering pace to try and make it to the village tonight. My arm wouldn't do well if we had to camp out another night. Karra insisted we reach the village as soon as possible to have Gran-gran take care of my wound.

We made it to the village late that night. As soon as we cleared the outer wall of the village Karra yanked me from my sled and dragged me to Gran-gran's tent. I was starting to become very tired and weak from the loss of blood and I let her lead me on.

I lost consciousness just after hearing Gran-gran gasp and saw the look of horror on her face.


	3. Chapter 2

A/N: I'm disappointed that I didn't get a single review from the prologue and the first chapter. I barely got anybody reading this story at all. Is it really that bad. I think it is better written than my other story, Fractured Fire Princess, and that story gets a lot of love. Please leave a review good or bad. I've already got over 50 pages typed and I'd hate to abandon it due to failure. Tell me what you like don't like or what you'd like to see happen.

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Chapter 2

I faded in and out of consciousness as they treated my arm. I remember snippets of frantic shouting from sources I was too out of it to recognize. I know it was pain that kept bringing me back because at one point someone put a leather strap in my mouth to bite on. I remember vividly the pain of when Gran-gran cleaned my arm with alcohol. The sudden and searing pain was enough to clear the fog from my mind for a short time. When she poured the liquid on my arm it burned like fire and I let out a blood curdling scream and tears flowed freely from my eyes.

Apart from Gran-gran cleaning my arm everything else is less clear and mostly muddled up in my head. I do remember that I had my head resting in Karra's lap and that she was gently rubbing my face and hair with her soft fingertips in a way that my mom used to when I was a little girl.

The smell and sizzle of meat being cooked woke me from my slumber. I sat up and instantly regretted it. My head was pounding and I got light-headed. After a few seconds my vision cleared and I began taking my surroundings in. I was on my bed, or more accurately my pile of furs, and all I had on was my trousers and chest bindings. My hair was matted to my sweat soaked face. I noticed my arm was tightly wrapped in white bandages and there were a few spots red where my blood soaked through. I let out a moan as much for the pain as for my current situation.

"Sokka! You're awake!" Karra shouted and before I could blink she had rushed over and enveloped me in a crushing hug.

"Karra, can't breathe." I squeaked out.

"Oh, sorry." She said blushing fiercely.

"You've been out two days. You me...us worried." Karra said after a few quiet moments.

"Two days! I was out for two days." I exasperated.

"Sokka you lost a lot of blood we thought we lost you a couple of times." Karra said her voice and eyes full of sadness. Her face contorted into an angry scowl and she punched me hard in the shoulder. "Don't you ever scare me like again. What were you thinking trying to take on the alpha wolf." She chided me angrily. I wasn't going to point out that it wasn't my fault that wolf decided to attack me and use my left forearm as a chew toy.

"I'm sorry, what can I say? Hero complex." I said sarcastically and shrugged my shoulders. Karra dropped her head to hide her smile and punched me again for good measure.

"Sokka dear, you're finally awake...and pale as a ghost." Gran-gran's voice went from relief to concern and that had me worried. Normally Gran-gran is calm in any situation. For her voice to take that tone I knew it was serious.

Gran-gran knelt in front of me and felt my forehead. "You're burning up." She then grabbed my injured arm and brought it to her nose and sniffed. Her face scrunched up at the smell. "And your wound is infected."

Gran-gran looked to Karra and told her to get her apprentice, Hannah, and to make sure she brought her bag.

"This is going to be very painful my dear. Here bite down on this." She said as she handed me that same thick leather strap from the other night. I nodded and put it in my mouth.

Gran-gran unwrapped my arm. The wounds were infected and seeping and the cloth was almost fused with the wound. Gran-gran gave a sharp tug at each spot the cloth was fused to rip out the cloth. Every tug was an explosion of pain and I screamed into the leather strap as I bit down on it. I was crying freely now and my shoulders shook with a combination of pain and sobs. Gran-gran kept saying; "Hold on were almost done" and "You're doing a good job." and "I'm sorry cub."

Karra returned with Hannah and as soon as she was by my side I wrapped my free arm around her and cried into her shoulder. Karra being the good friend she is she wrapped me in her arms and soothed me with her gentle words and touch.

Gran-gran and Hannah cleaned my wounds again and they had to cut away some of the infected flesh. Karra held me tight. She was as much keeping me from squirming as comforting. My wounds were packed with some sort of paste and my arm was rewrapped.

I slept most of the next week as I had a high fever from the infection, but I slowly began to recover. My wounds were still painful and if I tried to do too much with my arm the scabs would crack and bleed, but the infection was gone. Gran-gran, Karra, and Katara would change my bandages several times a day and I cried nearly every time for the first week.

The beginning of the second week Gran-gran let me start doing some things around the village. Lying around not doing anything that first week drove me crazy and when Gran-gran let me leave our little abode I was giddy as a little girl. I mostly helped Katara with her chores, but I did start making something out of the alpha wolf's pelt. I decided to make a hunter's head-dress out of the head and neck. The rest I made into a summer parka for Karra as a gift for putting up with me and my wounds.

I think by the end of the second week I was driving all the other women crazy. I wasn't very good at domestic stuff. I think I ruined three pots of sea-prune stew before they stopped trying to make me cook it. I couldn't tell you how many loads of laundry I botched and had to do over again. I was made for building weapons and tools and going hunting.

"I want to go hunting with you so bad." I said to Karra as I moped around helping her load her sled.

"You know Kanna would kill me if I let you come hunting with me. Besides with your arm still injured you can barely pull back your bow let alone steady it enough to get a clean shot off."

"I know. It's just Gran-gran is making me take Katara out fishing. She said it'd be good for Katara and I to go out together and do some bonding. Do you remember the last time we went fishing with Katara?" I bemoaned.

"How could I forget? You were soaked and miserable the whole time and it was one of the few times I had fun in this miserable place." Karra said laughing at the memory.

"Hey Karra, I want to thank you for helping to take care of me the last couple of weeks. I know it can't be easy to deal with me being a cry baby."

"Oh, it was nothing Sokka, you're my best friend. I'd do anything for you."

"Here I made this for you." I said as I handed her the summer parka I made for her. "It's a summer parka. I made it from the pelt of the alpha wolf that bit my arm."

"Oh, Sokka, it's beautiful. You didn't need to do this for me."

"I don't think I would've made it if it wasn't for you." I said solemnly.

Karra pulled me into her arms and thanked me for the parka.

"This is only going to be a short hunting trip. I'm only going seal hunting. I'll be back tomorrow. A day with Katara would be good for the both of you."

I let out a long sigh in resignation. "You're probably right. I don't spend nearly enough time with my baby sister."

o0o0o0o0o0o

Fishing with Katara was every bit as horrible as I thought it would be. All she did was drone on and on about me not acting like a girl and how I was too tomboyish for my own good. She was so stubborn and irrational that even after I explained how the customs work in our tribe, she didn't quit. The customs say that if a family bore two girls the first born is to take on the role of the warrior/hunter as if she were born male. What made matters worse was how her words cut me. She didn't know it, but I was jealous of her early developed womanly curves. Her shapely figure was sure to get her attention when the men of the village returned. I on the other hand never really developed those curves. I was too skinny and what wasn't too skinny was too muscular. Chasing down game in the tundra for days on end with meager rations tended to keep me underweight. Add that to all the packing and hauling and lifting I'm forced to do, I tended to build muscles in areas unfitting for women.

I was looking in the water for fish and I noticed our reflections. I studied my face, then hers and it made me even more jealous. Her skin was soft and the lines on her face were delicate and her lips full and beautiful. My skin was rough from the elements, the lines on my face hard and my lips were chapped and dull. The only thing I had on her were my eyes, even so mine were hardened from a rough life. Katara's, while they're not as pretty as mine, were warm and kind and filled with naïve hope and optimism. Of course that happens when you're the favored and sheltered child of the family, the whole tribe for that matter.

I broke out of my sulking when I spotted a large fish swimming beside the kayak.

"Katara, there are fish right by the kayak. Let me show you how to use a spear for fishing." I whisper.

I secure the rope to my spear and get in position to strike the fish when suddenly I hear Katara shouting something. "Katara quiet you'll scare the fish." I hiss at her as the fish starts flee.

The fish was still in striking distance and I brought my spear back to strike when suddenly cold water dumped on my head and neck and rolled down my back. I shrieked at being suddenly being soaked in ice-cold water.

I turned and glared daggers at Katara. "Why is it that every time you waterbend around me I end up with freezing water dumped on me? Now, thanks to you, the fish got away!" I shouted at her.

"Well I had a fish until you popped the water bubble with your spear." She yelled back.

"Well we're spear fishing, not waterbending fishing. Ugh, why can't you keep your weird waterbending to yourself?"

"It's not weird waterbending it's-

"I know it's a sacred art and a part of our heritage." I cut her off.

I was about to continue my rant when our kayak got pulled into a strong current. I grabbed the paddle to try to steer away from the ice slabs that were also getting pulled into the current. The current pulled us towards a narrow passage between two icebergs. The ice field squeezed us in and we started bouncing off of the ice blocks. I heard Katara yelling at me to go left as if I had any control as it was. The kayak got trapped between two sheets of ice and I grabbed Katara and pulled her out of the kayak onto an ice sheet just as the kayak was crushed between the ice sheets.

"You call that left?" She shouted at me. I was in extreme pain from my arm, but I was too mad to pay it any mind and I yelled back;

"Well maybe you should have waterbended us out."

"So you're saying this is my fault?" She shouted back.

"I knew I shouldn't have gone fishing. I wanted to go hunting with Karra." I yelled. I saw the hurt in her eyes before it turned to fury.

"You're the most selfish, immature, insensitive, tomboy I've ever known. I'm embarrassed to be your sister. Ever since mom left I've been doing all the work while you've been following Karra around playing hunter." She kept yelling, but I tuned her out when her arm movements started to crack the ice of the ice berg. Her rage was destroying the iceberg and it's enough to distract me from the hurt of her words and replace it with a fear of what her tirade was going to do.

The iceberg started to fall apart and its destruction caused a large wave that pushed our ice sheet violently. I caught Katara and kept her from falling off the ice sheet as it nearly tipped over.

"Alright you've gone from weird to freakish Katara." I said when we stopped moving.

"I...I did that?" she asked in awe.

Before I could retort the water started to glow where the iceberg used to be. I looked closer and panicked as I saw whatever was glowing rushing towards the surface of the water. I grabbed Katara and laid on top of her as the glowing orb surfaced and nearly tipped our ice sheet over.

After our little ice sheet settled I took a look at the giant glowing ice orb. Inside appeared to be a person and something else much larger. Katara crept to the edge of the ice and peered at the floating orb. Katara let out a gasp when the person opened glowing eyes. I grabbed Katara by the shoulders and clutched her to my chest protectively.

"There's a boy in there. We have to do something." Katara exclaimed as she snatched the club I had strapped to my back and raced towards the glowing ice.

"Katara wait, we don't know if it's safe." I yelled as I chased after her.

Katara began swinging my club into the orb and causing it to crack. With one final determined swing the ice orb burst open sending a rush of air that knocked Katara and I down and pushed us several feet on the ice. I held onto Katara during the whole slide and when we came to a stop I came to regret it as my left arm burst in agony. This whole ordeal had been far too much strain on my still to fresh wounds.

Katara's gasp pulled my mind from the pain in my arm. I followed her gaze to see a boy with glowing eyes and tattoos standing on the crest of what used to be the orb. A nearly blinding beam of light was shooting in the air. 'Great nothing says 'hey Fire Nation over here' like an insanely bright light shooting in the sky.' I thought.

The boy's glowing and the light beam waivered and the boy collapsed. Katara rushed and caught him before he hit the ground. I retrieved my spear from a nearby ice sheet when I heard and excited boy's voice; "Will you go penguin sledding with me?"

"Um, sure." Katara responded.

The next thing I knew we were following the boy around the crater after he shouted the name 'Appa'. We turned around a bend to come in contact with a huge white furry creature with big black horns.

"Get back Katara." I yelled as I raised my spear to defend us from this enormous beast.

"This is Appa, my flying bison." The boy exclaimed.

"You'll have to forgive my sister, she's a little paranoid. My name is Katara and my sister is Sokka" Katara said.

"My name is-" The boy stopped mid sentence and sneezed. His sneeze sent him shooting in the air and strong wind blew in all directions.

"I'm Aang. Nice to meet you." The boy finished after he landed like nothing happened. My mouth hung open in shock at the boys display.

I pointed at the boy and then up in the air a few times trying to wrap my head around what I just saw. "You just sneezed and flew ten feet in the air" I said in shock.

"It felt higher to me." He said with a shrug.

"Wait, you're an Airbender." Katara said.

"Sure am." Aang replied.

"I think I'm still delirious from the infection. I'm going to go home and..." I stopped mid sentence when I looked out and saw the ice sheets had all drifted away leaving us stranded with a weird bald kid dressed like a monk and his giant beast.

"If you guys are stuck Appa and I can give you a ride back to your home."

"Oh, we'd love a ride thanks." Katara shouted and let Aang help her into a saddle that was on the beast's back.

"No! No we are not getting on that thing. Katara get down. We don't even know if that thing is safe."

"Well are you hoping some other safe thing will come along before you freeze to death?" Katara said smugly.

Before we knew it we were riding on the giant beast as it swam slowly towards the village. The slow trek back to the village gave me a chance to calm down from all the craziness that happened in the last few hours. As my nerves calmed the throbbing pain in my arm returned. I pulled my sleeve up to reveal my bandages were soaked through with blood. Today's events ripped open the wounds on my arm and I'd be lucky if the infection didn't set back in.

We made it to the village late that night. I jumped off the bison and hurried off to our home without as much as a good bye or good night to Katara or Aang.

I entered our igloo to find Gran-gran still awake and sitting by the fire.

"Gran-gran, I'm surprised you're still awake." I said

"I had a feeling you two would be showing up late. I wanted to make sure there was some food when you got home." Gran-gran said with a soft smile but I could see the worry in her eyes.

Gran-gran had a sense of foresight. She always seemed to know when something was going to happen.

"Gran-gran can you help me change my bandages. I kind of over did it a little." I said sheepishly.

I pulled my parka off and rolled up the sleeve on my tunic to give her access. When she saw the wrappings were mostly red she gasped and then gave me a quick glare. I returned her with a shrug and a guilty smile that said 'you know me'. She smirked and rolled her eyes before getting the supplies.

"You have a lot of explaining to do young lady." Gran-gran chastised me as she unwrapped my old bandages.

I hissed in pain when she tugged the wrapping free from sticking to my wounds. I let out a shaky breath before responding.

"You won't believe me if I told you." I replied. She gave me the 'look'.

I proceeded to tell her everything that happened. I had to stop a few times when the pain took my breath away. When I finished telling her the story she raised an eyebrow at me.

"I think you're still delirious from the infection." She said while feeling my face for a fever.

"That's what I said and I'm inclined to believe you. I'm going to go to bed and when I wake up hopefully things will make sense." I got up and kissed Gran-gran on the cheek and wished her a good night and dove into my furs, within a minute I was dead to the world.

I woke up the next morning to the sound of children squealing and laughing. I groaned and rolled over onto my stomach and buried my head under my furs to try and ward off the noise to no effect. I gave a growl of frustration and dragged myself out of bed. A cold draft hit me as Katara rushed in.

"Gran-gran come quick I want to introduce the village to Aang." Katara said with glee.

"Ugh, you mean everything that happened yesterday was real?" I groaned.

Katara looked at me wide-eyed. "Uh, Sokka don't you think you should put some clothes on?"

I looked down and noticed I was still in nothing but my chest bindings and a pair of sleeping trousers.

"Hey come on Katar-Ah!" Aang shouted as he barged in and saw me half dressed, and he quickly turned beet red.

I quickly hid behind the tiny curtain that gave my sleeping area some privacy. From the look on Aang's face I assumed I was the most skin the boy had ever seen from the opposite sex. It was a show I was not thrilled to give to a boy on the cusp of puberty. I peeked around the curtain and to my chagrin the boy was standing there stiff as a board with a stupid look of shock on his face.

"What the hell are you still doing in here?! Get! Out!" I shouted at him. His face flashed with fear and he bolted out.

"Don't the monks teach manners? Who walks into someone's house without knocking, I mean come on." I mumbled as I got dressed.

"Well you shouldn't be running around half naked." Katara countered.

"It's my house. I shouldn't have to worry about people barging in. Besides I just got up I didn't get a chance."

"You should have been up long before now anyways."

I looked to Gran-gran for some support but she just had a smirk on her face. She was clearly enjoying herself at my expense.

I scoffed threw up my hands. "Whatever."

Katara accepted that as my defeat and urged Gran-gran out to meet Aang. I finished getting dressed and followed them out after a few moments. I stepped out and my jaw dropped as I gazed upon the carnage this boy brought. My watch tower was nearly destroyed, the weapons rack was turned into a makeshift sled jump at the base of the ramp for the wall and don't even get me started at all the pelts that were ruined from being ripped off their tanning racks. Anger started building up in the pit of my stomach and I was two seconds from going off.

Aang was saved from my wrath by the distinct sound of sled dogs barking in the distance. I looked to the opening in the wall and saw Karra and her sled team nearing the village. I took off towards Karra. I needed to get away from the airbender and vent. I sprinted to her nearly tackled her in a hug when I reached her.

"Thank the spirits you're here, I'm about to lose my mind."

"What's wrong Sokka, what happened?"

"... and then I come out to find the watch tower completely destroyed and the village is in total chaos." I finished explaining my frustrations of yesterday and this morning. Karra's reaction ranged from skepticism to concern and now she's doubled over laughing hysterically.

"It's not funny! Do you know how hard I worked on that tower."

"I'm sorry, it's just….it's only you. I think the universe hates you." She said still laughing.

"Laugh it up chuckles. I'm making you help me fix the tower." I said sarcastically.

Once Karra got herself back under control we headed back into the village and I helped her kennel the dogs and we took to skinning the seal she got. Karra and I talked aimlessly while we worked for most of the morning and into the afternoon until I decided to damper the mood and address my concern with the arrival of the airbender.

"I saw that worried look in Gran-gran's eyes. I think that airbender is going to bring a heap of trouble on our heads and I think Gran-gran can sense it."

Just as I finished we heard a pop and a whistle off in the distance. I looked towards the noise and I saw a bright signal flair illuminating the air in the direction of the old Fire Navy ship.

"Oh shit." Karra and I said at the same time.

"This is bad. This is really bad." I said almost to myself.


	4. Chapter 3

A/N: Here's the next installment. Readers please leave a review or two. Let me know what you like or dislike about this story. Help me get the interest in this story up. I think it is a one people will enjoy if they'd only give it a chance.

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Chapter 3

I turned and looked at Karra and the fear in her eyes reflected my own. Karra and I are the only ones in the village capable of defending our home and we were both hunters not warriors and with my injured arm it was even worse. But this was my home and I promised dad I'd protect my tribe and my sister with my life.

"We need to prepare the village for an attack." Karra said breaking my thoughts.

"You're right let's go." I said as I spun on my heels and ran to get Gran-gran.

The entire tribe had the same idea as we did because the women were already preparing. More than half the village was moving the food stores into the underground hiding spot that was prepared for these occasions. The Southern Water Tribe is nothing if not adaptable. Our element is water the element of change after all. I got to Gran-gran who was barking out orders to the other women.

"Hannah, go get our medical bags we need to be ready in case the Fire Nation attacks. Nala, I need you to take the children to the underground snow caves."

"Gran-gran where's Katara?" I said in a panic.

"She's off with that airbender." She replied.

"Shit." I said under my breath.

"Language young lady. I swear you're as bad as your father." Gran-gran chided half-heartedly.

"Sorry Gran." I apologized. "Most of the women are moving our food into the hiding spot and Karra is taking care of the dogs. I think she's keeping Bear and Kojo out just in case."

"Good. Listen Sokka, I know you're not the warrior your father wanted you to be, but today you have to be. What you lack in strength you make up for with instincts and bravery. You and Karra are the only ones that can defend our tribe, our family. I have faith in you my brave hunter." Gran-gran said looking me straight in the eyes with an intense stare.

"I will. I will defend our tribe with my life if I have to." I said sharply as I hugged my grandmother.

"Go now and prepare yourself for battle." She said just as hard.

The entire village gathered at the opening in the wall as Aang and Katara were seen walking toward the village.

"I knew you would bring trouble to our village. You signaled the Fire Navy with that flare and you're leading them right to us." I growled out as soon as they were close enough.

"Aang didn't do anything. It was an accident." Katara defended.

"Yeah, we were on this ship and there was this booby trap and we stumbled right into it."

"Katara you shouldn't have gone on that ship. Now we could all be in danger." Gran-gran snapped. Her voice was harsher than I've ever heard.

"Don't blame Katara. I brought her there. It's my fault."

"Aang, you're banished from the village" I said sternly.

"Sokka, you're making a mistake."

"No, I'm keeping my promise to dad. I'm protecting you from threats like him." I said cutting her off.

"Aang's not a threat. Don't you see he's brought something to our tribe that we haven't had in a long time. Fun."

I lost it. "Fun! We can't fight firebenders with fun. We can't defend our home with fun." I screamed.

"You should try it some time." Aang said happily.

I was nearly seeing red by this point and the sooner he left the safer he'd be. "Get out of our village. Now!" I said with as much venom as I could.

"Grandmother please, don't let Sokka do this." Katara pleaded.

"Katara, you knew going on that ship was forbidden. Sokka is right. That boy has brought enough trouble. It is best if he leaves." Gran-gran said full of disappointment.

"Fine, then I'm banished too. Come on Aang let's go." She huffed.

I couldn't believe she said that. She would turn her back on the village for some boy, some bender she just met.

"Where do you think you're going?"

"To the North Pole. Aang's taking me there to find a master."

"You're going to turn your back on your tribe; choose him over your own family?" I said full of hurt.

Katara and Aang had a quiet conversation I couldn't hear and then they turned their separate ways and he left on his bison. Gran-gran went to Katara but I was too angry and hurt to face her now.

"Come on Karra we need to prepare." I said and I grabbed her hand and started towards the warriors' tent.

We both shed our parkas and donned the warrior's garb. It was much thinner and provided better mobility. We took turns painting each other's faces in the warrior's mask. The paint is made from the oils of whale fat and it helped protect our faces from the elements. The dark under our eyes protected us from snow blind and the design was meant for intimidation.

I looked in the water at my reflection. The dark grays and blues contrasting my light blue eyes looked almost ghostly. I may not be a good warrior, but even I have to admit I looked scary. Karra too looked scary; the hard set of her jaw and the anger in her eyes sent a shiver down my spine.

"Whatever happens, we're in this together." Karra told me with our eyes locked together.

"We're the only ones that can defend our tribe and if I have to lay down my life for it I'd rather be at no one else's side but yours." I pulled her in for a tight hug before we exited the tent.

A heavy fog rolled in making it impossible to see if there were any ships coming until they were right on us. Karra and I stood side by side on the wall overlooking the ocean trying to look through the fog. After several minutes we felt the ground shaking and heard the ice cracking. The cracking Ice split in front of us and up the wall right between Karra and I. That's when we saw a massive black shape forming in the fog right in front of us.

"Come on Sokka we need to get off the wall. The ship is coming right for us." Karra shouted to me.

I jumped off the wall and landed in a roll just as massive black ship came to a stop right at the edge of the village. Steam rose from the bow of the ship accompanied by a loud hiss and the entire bow of the ship dropped down destroying the rest of the wall and one of food storage igloos. The dropped bow created a large gang plank which five Fire Nations soldiers walked down. The one in front wore a black and red armor with gold trim. By his dress I assumed he was their commander. After I got a better look at him he looked no older than me. He had very pale skin and a gnarly scar over the left side of his face, mostly over his eye.

"Leave now!" I said fiercely. "You and your kind are not welcome here!" Karra followed up just as fiercely. The boy ignored us as he continued looking over our tribe, who were all huddled together, minus the children.

"Where is he? Where are you hiding him?" He shouted angrily.

"Him who? Do you see any men here?" I retorted.

"Don't play dumb with me." He snapped.

The boy then walked over to Gran-gran and snatched her by her parka and turned her to the villagers. "He'd be about this age, master of all elements."

I'd had enough. I lunged forward and slapped his hand off of Gran-gran with my left hand and struck him open palmed in the chest with my right.

"That's enough! There are no men here." I shouted and positioned myself between him and the village.

He sent a wave of flame above everybody's head and shouted "I know you're hiding him."

"I'll say this one more time. There are no men here. Leave now!" I shouted as I stepped up to him.

He was half a head taller than me and he scared the crap out of me, but I didn't let it show on my face. He scowled down at me and his golden eyes seemed like they could set me ablaze.

"Fine. You want to have it this way, we'll do this the hard way." He said through gritted teeth. "Men, search the area." He barked.

"Over my dead body!" I shouted as I pushed him.

"With pleasure." He snarled with an evil smirk.

I swallowed the fear down and charged him with my club. He side stepped and tripped me as I went past him. I growled, got to my feet and got in a fighting stance. He smirked again and waved me on. I bared my teeth at him and started circling him. He went on the offensive this time and punched a flame at my face. I spun out of the way and swung my club at him. He easily dodged my clumsy swing. I swung again he leaned back and kicked the club out of my hand. I was easily outmatched by him, but I had a village to protect and I wasn't going down without a fight. He shot another flame at me and I rolled out of the way. As I came out of my roll I pulled my boomerang out of its sheath and threw it at him. He narrowly dodged it and snarled at me. I leapt at him but he countered with an elbow to my mouth and sent me sprawling to the ground. I looked down to the snow as I got to my hands and knees. There was blood dripping from my split lip and staining the snow. I got up and growled at him. I caught a shimmer of light in the sky behind him and I smiled as my boomerang slammed into the back of his head and knocked his helmet off. I took this distraction to charge at him. I slammed my right fist into his face. I swung at him with my left but he caught my forearm in a vice like grip. I shrieked in agony as he squeezed on my wounds. He wasted no time in twisting my arm away from him and leaving my entire front exposed. He shot a flaming palm into my chest and sent me flying backwards.

I landed next to a tent that conveniently had my bow and a quiver of arrows leaning against it. I dragged myself up and grabbed them. I heard a cry of pain and looked in horror as I saw Karra trying to fight off three men. She was fighting like a crazy woman but she was outnumbered and outmatched. One man back handed her across the face and spun her away from a man with a spear. The man thrust his spear through her back and the tip came through her stomach. She let out a blood curdling scream as the spear pierced her body. The man tried to pull his spear back but it just pulled her with it. He tried again and pulled her again. He then kicked her in the back and sent her face first in the snow.

"Karra!" I screamed and nocked an arrow.

The man turned just enough that the arrow went through his jugular and out the other side lodging itself into a tent pole. I shot two more arrows in rapid succession and dropped the other two men.

I turned back to the leader to see that he was sending blast after blast of fire at Aang who was deflecting the flames with his staff. I turned and sprinted to Karra after seeing Aang was handling the threat at the moment. I dropped to my knees next to Karra. The snow all around her was stained red and my chest tightened with panic. I rolled her over onto her back and looked her over. The hole from the spear was on the left side of her abdomen and blood was flowing freely.

"No, no, no, no, no, Karra, please you can't die I need you." I said in panic

"Sokka." Karra said weakly.

"Sh, Karra save your energy." I managed to sputter out.

"You're going to be okay. You're strong. You'll pull through."

Tears were flowing down my face as I ripped my right sleeve off and pressed it to her wound. Karra gave off a pained moan as I applied pressure to her wound.

"I'm sorry Karra, I'm sorry I couldn't have stopped them sooner." I said looking deep into her eyes.

Karra reached her hand up and placed it on my cheek and gave me a weak smile.

"You have nothing to be sorry about Sokka. You're such a brave girl. I know you'll continue to provide for the village without me." She said weakly.

"No, don't say that. You can't leave me. I'm lost without you. I need you." I said barely holding myself together.

Hannah came running up to us with her medical bag. She opened the bag up and pulled out bandages and a secret tribal recipe used for stopping bleeding on severe injuries.

"Karra this is going to be very painful okay? Sokka hold her hand and have her bite on this." Hannah said as she handed me a bone wrapped in leather.

I put the bone in her mouth and squeezed her hand tightly. Hannah poured thick liquid on her wound and Karra wrenched on my hand and screamed through the bone. Hannah then cut off Karra's top and I helped lift her enough that Hannah could wrap the bandages around her entire stomach. I looked Hannah in the eye and begged her to tell me is Karra was going to make it with my eyes.

"It was close but I think we got to her in time. I think she'll pull through." Hannah said as she put a hand on my shoulder.

Karra had passed out by this point and the shallow puffs of her breath were the only thing showing me she was still breathing. I picked her up bridal style and followed Hannah back to the villagers.

"Secure the prisoner and ready the ship." The boy with the scarred face shouted.

I caught the eyes of the boy and I gave him the harshest glare I could muster and then I turned and handed Karra off to a couple of other women who took her in a tent.

"And she comes with us." The boy shouted.

I turned back to him to see him pointing at me.

"She killed my men and I will see her punished for her crime against the Fire Nation."

Two of his men went to grab me. I punched the man on my left in the stomach and I bit the other one when he put his hand on me. The man I punched returned the favor and slugged me in the gut. I dropped to my knees from the blow as all the air rushed from my lungs. The two men grabbed me on either arm and started dragging me to their ship. I struggled to get loose from their grip, but they were too strong. I looked over my shoulder as best I could. I locked eyes with Katara and Gran-gran and saw tears running down their faces.

"Don't worry about me. I'll be fine." I lied. "Take care of Karra. Katara take care of the village. It's your responsibility now." I shouted as I fought to turn and see them for as long as I could.

They dragged me up the gang plank and into the ship. When I was inside the ship the bow closed back up cutting me off from my tribe. I turned back to the front and the scarred leader was standing right in front of me.

"You've caused me quite a bit of trouble little girl."

I spit in his face and shouted. "I'm going to cause you a lot more."

He turned and wiped the spit off of his face and he laughed darkly. I saw him put something in his hand and he drew back and punched me in the face, knocking me out.

0o0o0o0o0o

I came to in a dark room with only a dim lantern for light. I was in a cage within a larger metal room and my hands were tied around my back. The fog in my mind began to wear off and as it left the pain in my body replaced it. My bottom lip was split open in the middle and my left eye was nearly swollen shut.

"Ugh, my head." I said out loud to myself.

"Sokka! You're awake." Aang exclaimed loudly.

I turned my head swiftly to glare at him and I regretted it immediately. I became light headed and my brain felt like it was pounding inside my skull.

"Not only am I a prisoner of the Fire Nation, I have to be stuck in here with you? The universe really does hate me." I mumbled.

"You're not stuck with me. You get to be with me. Now you have someone to talk to." Aang cheerily replied.

"Ugh, pass. It's your fault I'm here in the first place."

"I know, I'm sorry Sokka." He said downcast.

I wanted to be mad at him and yell at him but he looked like I just kicked his puppy and it stole all my anger.

"We need to figure a way out of here. They didn't punch you stupid before they brought you in here, what can you tell me about the ship?"

"Um, it's big, metal, and really warm inside."

"No kidding." I bit off sarcastically. "I'm talking about layout, guards that sort of thing, genius."

"Oh, that. Well I wasn't really paying attention." He said sheepishly.

"Of course not, why would you?"

"Uh, was I supposed to?" He said looking confused.

"Did you plan on breaking out of here at any point or were you just going to let them take you?" I asked sharply as my frustration started to build.

"Well I was just going to play it by ear, you know wing it."

"And you're the Avatar? Great, we're doomed." I mumbled the last part under my breath.

"Don't worry Sokka, I'm sure things will work out." He said cheerfully.

His cheerfulness was really starting to get under my skin. 'Katara's irrational optimism was bad enough now I gotta deal with this nitwit.' I thought to myself.

"You know Aang, things don't just work out you have to make them work out." I said as I scooted close to him. "Are your hands tied behind your back?" I asked him.

"Yeah, why?"

"Listen. Turn your back to me. I'm going to put my leg by your hands and I need you to reach in my boots and pull out my knife." I told him.

"Your knife? Wh-why do you need a knife?" He ask nervously.

"So, I can cut the ropes. Do you even... Never mind just get the knife."

I put the opening of my boot right at his hands and he started squirming around and after a few minutes he pulled out the knife.

"I got it!" He shouted.

"Shut up! Do you want the whole ship to year you?" I said through clinched teeth.

"Oh, yeah right, sorry."

"Just give me the knife."

I shifted around so we were back to back and I took the knife from his hands.

"Now hold still so I can cut your ropes off."

I took the knife from him and started sawing through the ropes but his constant squirming was making in near impossible.

"For the love of, will you hold still? If you keep moving like that I'm going to accidently cut you." I huffed at him.

He didn't hold still, but he calmed down enough that I was finally able to cut the ropes on his hands.

"There you're free. Now quick, cut mine off and if you cut me so help me I'm going to punch you."

Aang managed to cut through my rope, but of course he cut the crap out of my left thumb.

"What did I tell you about not cutting me?" I growled at him.

"Um sorry Sokka."

I faked a punch and he flinched.

"Two for flinching." I said as I socked him in the arm twice.

"I guess I deserved that. Hehe" He laughed nervously.

'That and so much more you little twerp' I thought to myself as I gave him an un-amused look.

"Listen, I bet almost anything that there is at least one guard on the other side of that door. I think I can use my knife to break us out of this cage but I need you to use your airbending to take out the guards as quietly as you can. If we can silence as many guards as we can without them sounding the alarm the better. I'm not in much shape to be fighting so I hope you've got some skills with that airbending of yours. You follow?"

"Well I am an airbending master after all." He bragged.

"Good. Get ready to go." I said.

Breaking out of the cage was a lot easier than I thought it was going to be. Just a simple twist of the blade and bam the door swung free. I got to the main door and positioned myself so I could pull the door open and allow Aang to do his stuff.

I gave Aang a silent three count with my fingers and I yanked the door open on one and Aang did an airbending move and both guards slammed into the opposite walls and slid to the floor out cold. 'Maybe this kid's got some skills after all' I thought. We continued down through the ship looking for his staff and a way out. We encountered minimal resistance until we found his staff in the quarters of the angry teen commander. After a brief scuffle that I conveniently stayed out of things got a little hairy. We made it to bridge of the ship but we collected a whole slew of pursuers. Aang threw his staff out the window as it folded out into a glider and he leaped out the window after it. The commander was hot on his heels and I tried to stop him, but someone caught me from behind by my hair and yanked me back. I turned and elbowed the man in the temple and sent him crashing back through the doorway to the bridge. The man I hit crashed into a few others and now there was a pile of fallen men blocking the doorway. I took the momentary distraction to locate a way out. I found a side exit that led to a catwalk along the outside of the bridge. I rushed onto the catwalk and found a ladder down to the deck.

I peered out over the deck and saw the angry teen hanging onto Aang's feet as they were falling to the deck. I quickly descended the ladder to catch up to Aang. I got to the bottom of the ladder and I took off towards Aang. I was cut off from Aang as two Fire Nation soldiers brandishing swords came from below deck. I stopped in my tracks and took a quick peek over my shoulder. There were men coming down the ladder from the bridge. 'Great, trapped like an elephant-rat' I thought as I looked over my situation. I heard a roar off in the distance. I looked over my shoulder again and saw what looked like Aang's giant fur-ball flying towards us. That distraction was enough of an opening for the soldiers with swords to move in on me. I heard their footsteps just in time to turn and avoid a sword in the back. I snarled at the man and got into a fighting stance. One man swung and me I danced out of the way but I was a bit too slow and the tip of his sword sliced horizontally across my right shoulder. I grabbed the new wound with my left hand and hissed in pain.

I was saved from another attack when Aang burst out of the water riding a cyclone of water. His eyes and tattoos were glowing just like when he first emerged from the iceberg. He landed on the deck of the ship and a massive wall of water followed him. He spun the water around him and then he shot it out in all directions and the water slammed into all the Fire Nation soldiers. Unfortunately for me I was not spared as the violent force of the water hit me and sent me flying across the deck of the ship where I slammed into the railing of the ship. I was seeing stars from the impact and it took me at least a minute for my vision to return and my head to clear.

I pulled myself up using the railing for help when I saw Appa land on the deck and Katara to slide off the beast. Katara ran over to where Aang was laying. Apparently when he goes all glowy it makes him faint afterwards. I stumbled over Katara and Aang. The simple act of walking over to them was a bigger challenge than it should have been. I was still dizzy from my rough meeting with the ship's railing.

"I dropped my staff." Aang moaned and pointed in the direction of his staff.

"I'll get it." I volunteered.

I stumbled again across the deck of the ship, I managed to only fall once; right before I reached the staff. I decided to crawl the last three feet to the staff. I grabbed the staff at the same time as the scarred teen as he was pulling himself onto the deck of the ship. He was half hanging off the side of the ship and I took advantage of the situation.

"I've had about enough of you." I said as I kicked him in the face and sent him flying off the ship.

My legs were still wobbly, but I made it over to Appa with the staff in hand. I started to climb up the creature and Katara offered me her hand to help me in the saddle she was already in. I foolishly reached out my left and she grabbed me by the forearm. Pain shot through my arm at her grip on my forearm and I cried out, but I didn't let go and I let her pull me in the wide saddle.

"Yip yip." Aang called out and Appa took to the skies.

I pulled myself up to look over the edge at the ship we just escaped. My eyes widened as a huge fireball was sailing towards us. Aang reacted quickly by swinging his staff the air current he bended at the fire ball made it veer off course and slam into a glacier. The impact of the fireball caused a large section of the glacier to break off and it ended up burying half the Fire Navy ship.

"Man, glad that's over." I sighed in relief.

"Oh my Sokka you're a mess." Katara gasped before wrapping me in a fierce hug.

"Tell me about it." I said as I returned the hug with less vigor.

"I don't mean to sound ungrateful, but Katara what are you doing here?" I asked.

"Aang's the Avatar. He's the only chance we have at ending the war." She replied.

Logic. Makes sense, I'm kind of proud of her for finally using it. Still I couldn't help but feel a little hurt that she didn't mention me in her rescue plan.

"So what's the plan?" Aang asked.

"You're the Avatar right?"

"Yeah." He answered confused.

"Well then the plan is Katara's original plan. We head to the North Pole where you and Katara can learn waterbending from a master."

"Great! Now I can finally learn under a master." Katara said with glee.

"Katara, you didn't happen to bring any of my stuff did you?" I asked.

"Yeah, Gran-gran packed a couple changes of clothes, a sleeping roll and some food."

"Okay, all good things, but what about my weapons; my bow, boomerang, my club?"

"Of course. Karra wouldn't let me leave until she knew I packed them."

"Karra." I whispered.

"She's going to be okay Sokka. She told me to tell you she loves you and she's proud of you and to be strong wolf slayer." Katara said with a gentle voice and a comforting hand.

I couldn't stop myself. Tears began flowing from my eyes and I clutched Katara and I sobbed into her shoulder. Everything that happened to me today hit me like a ton of bricks; my best friend almost dying, being forced to take the lives of those three men, being captured and being pulled away from my family, my tribe. All of it overwhelmed me and it was more painful than any of my wounds.

"Katara, I killed today. I killed three men. I took their lives. I did what I had to do, but it was horrible. I can still remember the face on the man when the arrow went through his neck and his blood spewed out in the rhythm of his heart beat." I said quietly after I had regained control of my crying.

Katara sat next to me as I laid down. She held my hand until I drifted off to sleep. She may be impulsive and have a bad temper, but she's caring and nurturing just like mom was.


End file.
